Olympus PEN E-PL 8 Review: The Spiffy Little Camera I Cannot Live Without

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A few of you may have noticed that I recently switched up my photography kit. And there’s a few reasons why:

Ever since the day I bought my DSLR, it intimidated me. And it still kinda does. Despite attempting to switch to manual on a few occasions, I never felt comfortable changing the settings and kept moving the dial back to trusty auto mode. Quite frankly, as much as I’d love to devote the time, after a few years, I don’t think that’s gonna happen.

Dragging my beloved Nikon around Europe this summer was torture. My body killed! I longed for a back, shoulder, and neck massage each and every night. I knew something had to change.

With this in mind, and after reading a whole slew of positive reviews on the camera, I ultimately decided to go for the Olympus PEN E-PL 8.

Was it a good switch? You betcha.

So far, I’m super happy with it.

It’s so amazing what this nifty little camera can do.

The Olympus PEN E-PL 8 is aimed towards bloggers, but definitely a smart contender for anyone looking to up their photography game. Great quality, and even more megapixels at 16.1 than my current DSLR.

Instead of boring you all with the specs (which you can read all about here), I’ve highlighted some of my favorite features (and a few minimal cons) of the spiffy little camera below.

PROS:

Aesthetic Design: Despite being super sleek, it boasts a definite vintage look, which I just find irresistible. It’s so beautiful I sometimes just want to sport it around my neck as an attractive accessory! (#noshame). It comes in three colors with color coordinated neck straps: white, black, and brown. I opted for the clean, crisp styling in a minimalist white finish and I’m in loveeeee.

Smaller and Lighter Camera Overall: Since the Olympus PEN E-PL 8 is a mirrorless camera, and therefore does not depend on a mirror and prism to capture the images (found in all DSLR cameras), this results in a much smaller body and design without skimping on quality. Plus, it doesn’t kill my back and shoulders (heck, yes!) + fits nicely in an everyday purse. It even has a retracting lens to keep it at it’s smallest when not in use. Yeah, they thought of everything…

Built-in Wifi: You can easily transfer images to your phone via the free Olympus Image share App, perfect for instantly sharing photos on social media. In addition, because of the wifi capability, you’re able to use your smart phone as a wireless remote control (perfect when taking full body images sans friend).

Rotating LCD Touchscreen: Oh boy, do I just love this feature (!!!) — I always wished my DSLR was able to swivel. The screen is able to flip down and tilt up which is perfect for taking flat lays, selfies, photos at weird angles, etc. In addition, the touchscreen! It took a bit of time to get used to the touchscreen, but I absolutely adore it now. You can change a bunch of settings while taking a photo, zoom in for macro shots, and focus on a specific point before pushing the shutter button. It’s basically heaven on Earth.

Easy, Quick, Personalized Controls: Something I absolutely cannot live without anymore? The ability to adjust the brightness with a quick button before taking the shot. Instead of upping the brightness/saturation/shadows during post-production, I now save a few steps. Turn on the Super Control Panel for easy customization.

Full HD 1080p Video Recording: I recently started taking video and I love the quality that this camera produces. A super-cool video feature within the camera? You can record video in short bursts, save them to “My Clips”, then stitch them together and adda soundtrack and filters – all IN camera!

CONS:

Because nothings one hundred percent perfect….

No Viewfinder: I have to admit, making the adjustment from a camera with a viewfinder was difficult at first, but I quickly got the hang of taking photos using the digital screen. And now no one’s confused when I give them the camera to take a photo of me… #score!

Lack of Built-in Flash: Although the flash comes included in the package, you need to attach it before use. However, I’ve found it takes better-than-decent photos in low-light situations, and actually better than my previous DSLR did when firing the flash. I always found the flash skewed the colors, shadows, and highlights anyways.

Small Video Record Button: Not a major factor, but I find it rather tiny when I’m about to shoot a video. It is positioned well to prevent accidental movies from recording, which is appreciated.

More Delicate: Because of the smaller size and less hand grips, this camera seems much more delicate and less sturdy than my familiar DSLR— however I may be feeling this way because it’s still relatively new(ish) and I don’t want to break it!

The Final Verdict

This beautiful little thing takes great professional-looking photos for both my website, social media pages, and everyday life’s little moments. Plus, it’s so compact, I can throw it in my purse and take it literally anywhere with me.

Are you thinking of adding the Olympus PEN E-PL 8 to your photography kit? Already have it?! Any other features you love that I missed?